1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates generally to renewably-sourced and biodegradable polymer blends, and to methods of improving the flexibility of biopolymers. More specifically, the disclosure relates to polymer blends comprising a biopolymer and an aliphatic polyester, and to methods of improving the flexibility of biopolymers by combining a biopolymer and an aliphatic polyester as disclosed herein.
2. Brief Description of Related Technology
Conventional petroleum-based polymers include traditional plastics used in packaging and other consumer product applications. Petroleum-based polymer products, however, have several disadvantages including the accumulation of non-degradable plastics in landfills and the use of non-renewably sourced materials. Biopolymers provide an alternative to petroleum-based polymers. In contrast to petroleum-based polymers, products prepared from biopolymers are biodegradable and/or use materials obtained from renewable natural sources.
While overcoming many of the disadvantages of traditional petroleum-based polymers, biopolymers can suffer from other disadvantages. Many biopolymers are difficult to process and/or demonstrate other undesirable physical properties, such as poor flexibility. The physical properties of biopolymers can be modified by blending with other materials to obtain biodegradable and/or renewably-sourced polymer materials having more desirable physical properties. The polymer blends disclosed herein provide biopolymers having improved flexibility, and are useful, for example, in the production of packaging materials, industrial products, durable goods, and the like.